If you want to get a better feel for a game, you now can go beyond controllers and joysticks to experience the vibrations with the Razer Freyja haptic cushion and the Kraken V4 Pro headset that supports force feedback.
The two new gadgets, part of Razer’s Sensa HD Haptics range, promise a more immersive experience. Yes, by literally shaking up your body during a game.
Now, the promise of haptics delivered through a surround sound headset or a handheld controller is not new, but adding a chair mat to simulate the sensation of being in the game through vibrations is interesting.
At first glance, both the Razer Freyja and Kraken V4 Pro wear the signature Razer aesthetic – aggressive, clean, and all-black with subtle design cues that exude premium quality without appearing over-designed.
Even when not switched on, the chair pad feels very comfortable to sit on for hours. Meanwhile, the Kraken V4 Pro headset features a slightly heavier frame than typical headsets, but it is not excessive and well-balanced enough to be worn for hours without causing strain.
I appreciate that the headset connects wirelessly to the PC via a USB transmitter, eliminating cable clutter during intense gaming sessions.
The transmitter comes in a sleek black box, powers up alongside a PC, and features a large front dial that allows me to switch between equaliser presets for music, movies, and games. There’s also a customisable mode for a more personalised sound.
The Razer Freyja haptic chair pad is also very easy to install. It secures itself through three straps – two at the back of the chair and one below the seat. Remember to install a small USB dongle that’s needed, as the chair pad utilises a proprietary communication protocol to receive signals from the PC.
Razer’s HyperSense system is the power behind the haptic experience. The headset and chair pad generate vibration based on in-game audio.
When something loud or impactful happens, such as gunfire, explosions, or even the bass lines of music, you will feel intense pulses in the headset and through the chair pad, from your buttocks to your shoulder blades, via the 16 haptic actuators, to create the sense of direction, distance and location.
To test the two gadgets, I played through Dune: Awakening, an open-world survival multiplayer online game set on the unforgiving desert planet of Arrakis. The Freyja chair pad and Kraken headphones worked together to provide immersive effects as you wander around, interact with objects and fire weapons.
The experience feels real, though it still has its flaws. Things might feel fun at first, but after a prolonged session, even if you’re just listening to music with the vibrating chair pad, the vibrations can be tiring or distracting.
While my Creative SXFi gaming headset lets me hear enemies’ footsteps, the Kraken V4 Pro seems to completely miss them because the haptic effect and bass are booming into my ears.
Fortunately, there is a way to reduce the intensity of the bass and vibration through software for the headset and buttons on the side of the chair pad. That is something I’d recommend if you’re buying this Razer setup.
To be sure, the Kraken V4 Pro delivers solid sound quality, with tuning that favours bass-heavy music — making dance tracks especially vibrant. That said, the limited soundstage and dominant bass can overwhelm more delicate tracks, such as Enya’s Orinoco Flow.
Overall, this setup may not appeal to everyone. Some players will prefer traditional headsets, while others may not want to experience physical sensations during gameplay.
However, for those who enjoy cinematic experiences or want to feel more connected to their games, the combination of the Kraken V4 Pro and the Freyja chair mat offers something that transcends visual effects and sound quality.
The S$459 Razer Freyja only works with primarily with PC, Xbox and Android smartphones via an app, so Sony PlayStation owners have to look elsewhere. The Razer Kraken V4 Pro is now available for S$599.
